Folding play-yard



July 18, 1961 H. J. LANDRY 2,992,441

FOLDING PLAY-YARD File'd March 10. 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. HPFK HENRY J. LANDRY. Y B mflfl? I ATTYY.

July 18, 1961 J. LANDRY FOLDING PLAY-YARD 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 10. 1959 July 18, 1961 LANDRY 2,992,441

FOLDING PLAY-YARD Filed March 10. 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 12 .34 26' i I V 7 40 w A Q 20 INVENTOR.

HENRY J. LANDRY. BY

United States Patent 2,992,441 FGLDING PLAY-YARD Henry J Landry, Lake Road, Ashbumham, Mass. Filed Mar. 10, 1959, Ser. No. 798,469 10 Claims. (Cl. -99) This invention relates to a new and improved folding play-yard which is particularly adapted and constructed to provide for flexible side wall areas thereof in either a woven fabric or a net material, and the principal obect of the invention resides in the provision of a folding play-yard of the class described including a central floor level, supporting cross-member to which are pivotally mounted a pair of folding floor members one at each side of the cross-member, and including automatically extended leg members for supporting said floor members in horizontal position, and for folding said leg members when the floors are raised into folded condition for storage or transportation of the play-yard; the provision of a play-yard as above recited including pivoted upper rail members to which the fabric is secured by new and improved means and including column supports therefor at the mid-range areas thereof, said column supports being telescopically adjustable and supporting the mid areas of said foldable upper rail members with respect to the aforesaid folding floor members and holding the rail members in substantially rigid condition when extended and including means for quickly and easily foldmg the same when it is desired to fold the play-yard.

Other objects of the invention include the provision of a folding play-yard as above stated including a central main cross support to which are pivotal-1y mounted at either side thereof a pair of folding iloor members disposable in horizontal condition forming a floor for the occupant of the play-yard and being capable of being brought up into generally parallel folded condition, said floor members being mounted on said cross-member and including automatically actuatable leg members which extend downwardly and support the same in spaced relation to an underlying supporting floor when the yard is extended; in combination with a pair of pivotally mounted upper rail members which support the fabric wall at the upper edge thereof when the play-yard is extended, and including intermediate telescoping supports therefor, the same being foldable with the playyard, and the provision of a removable fabric or net which is quickly and easily applied to and removed from the floor members above described and also to the upper rail member by new and improved means so that the fabric may be removed and cleaned or replaced quickly and easily.

A further object of the invention includes the provision of a play-yard as above described in which the upper rail members fold down over the upwardly folding floor members and tend to hold the same in position when the play-yard is folded.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of a play-yard of the class described having a central main cross-member which supports a folding floor, said cross-member having at either end thereof upright standards or the like forming a rigid structure therewith, said upright standards pivotally mounting a pair of folding upper rails thereon and the rails and the folding floor having an inter-related cooperating folding action whereby the folding of one of the floor members depends upon the folding of the corresponding upper rail.

The invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly set forth in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which ice FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation illustrating the playyard when folded, with the fabric side wall omitted for clarity of illustration;

FIG. 2 is a view in end elevation thereof, looking in the direction of arrow 2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the parts extended and also illustrating the folding action of the various parts thereof;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view on a reduced scale, showing the play-pen in open condition and looking in the direction of arrow 4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view in side elevation, looking in the direction of arrow 5 in FIG. 4, and showing the fabric in position;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing the parts folded;

FIG. 7 is a section on line 7-7 of FIG. 6 on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 8 is a view in side elevation, looking in the direction of arrow 8 in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a detail view in section illustrating one of the supporting posts for a top rail of the play-pen on an enlarged scale.

The play-pen of the present invention comprises a main floor-level supporting member which extends diametrically across the play-yard as indicated by the reference numeral 19. This cross-member may be provided with crossplates '12 at the ends thereof, these cross-plates 12 being applied in any way desired as for instance by bolts or other fasteners which are indicated at 14.

The cross-plates themselves in turn support upright standards 16 which may be spaced and parallel and rise substantially the height of the play-yard or more, and may, if desired, -be connected together as for instance in an inverted U shape by means of a cross-member or elongation of the standards 16 as indicated at 18, see particularly FIG. 2. These standards 16 may depend below the plates 1'2 and terminate in out-turned feet 20 which may in turn be provided with the usual casters or the like 22. These upright standards may include or support any kind of ornamental apparatus or playthings desired for the occupant of the playyard.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be seen that the upright standards 16 pivotally support adjacent their upper ends a pair of upper rail members which are generally indicated at 24 and 26. These two members are substantially alike but are reversed with respect to each other as for instance as best seen in FIG. 4. Although these members are shown here as shaped to form an octagon, the shape may be varied in any way desired to from a square or round play-yard, etc.

Each one of the upper rail members 24 and 26 is capable of being extended as in FIGS. 3 and 4 or folded to depend downwardly in substantially vertical position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In order to provide a more rigid structure, these top rails are provided with telescoping central supports generally indicated at 28, the same being attached to each top rail as by a bracket 30 having an annular depressed central portion 32 therein, see FIG. 9, and a substantially annular portion 34, so that each telescoping supporting leg is constrained against any motion along the respective top rail 24 or 26 but at the same time is provided with means which allows relative rotation of the top rail 26 in the bracket 30 for a purpose tobe hereinafter described.

Swingably mounted on the cross-piece 10 at either side thereof are the two floor pieces 36 and 38, and these generally will conform in shape to the outline of the top rails 24 and 26 as seen in FIG. 4. These floor pieces are adapted to be extended in horizontal position as seen in FIG. 3 for supporting an occupant, or they may selectively be moved up into parallel relation as shown in FIG.

3 2. The hinges for these two members are indicated at 40.

The telescoping supporting posts 28 are interpivoted with relation to the edges of the floor-boards as indicated at 42 and it will be seen that each telescoping support comprises two members 44 and 46 of different diameters, with a spring clip-type of fastener 48 having a projection St) adapted to extend through an aperture 52 therein in order to latch the members in extended condition of the play-yard as is shown in FIG. 3.

In order to support the floor members 36 and 33 when the play-yard is extended, there are provided folding leg members generally indicated at 54, there being one or more of these for each floor part. These leg members are pivoted as at 56 to the under sides of the respective floor parts and intermediate the ends thereof they have pivoted thereto links 58 in turn pivoted as at 60 to the central supporting member 10. The effect of this is that when the floor-boards 36 and 33 are raised, the links 58 pull the legs 54 into flatwise folded condition with respect thereto as perhaps best seen in FIG. 1; but when the floor parts descend to horizontal condition, the legs 54 are automatically extended to the FIG. 3 position to support the floor-boards firmly.

The fabric side walls of the play-yard in this case are connected to and around the upper rail members 26 and extend downwardly and are attached to the floor members 36 and 38 at the under sides thereof, see FIGS. 5, 7 and 8. These sides may be net or fabric, and in any event, they are provided with an attached sleeve or strip or the like at the upper end thereof as is indicated in FIG. 5 by the reference numenal 60. This forms a free border material or the like which may be turned over the upper rail and the edges of which are brought into conformity. Each edge is provided with a series of holes as at 62 for reception of a lace 64, by which means the fabric is attached to the upper rail and may be quickly detached therefrom for cleaning or replacement thereof.

The connection of the fabric to the floor-boards is accomplished by providing eyes such as those at 66 in FIGS. 7 and 8 to opposite sides of the main supporting cross-member 1t adjacent the ends thereof; and to these eyes there are fastened wires or cords which extend through a series of rings 63 arranged about the periphery of the floor-boards at the under sides thereof as best seen in FIG. 1. The wire is indicated by the reference numeral '70 and is easily threaded through the loops of the net or through holes provided therefor when fabric material is used.

It will be seen that the upper rails 24 and 26 are held in the extended position as indicated in FIG. 3 by means of the telescoping supporting member 28, and in this position the fabric or flexible side wall material is stretched tight enough to form a safe enclosure for the infant who cannot become injured in any way, whether the wall is net or fabric.

With the parts in the solid-line position as shown in FIG. 3, it will be seen that the play-yard is completely extended. In order to fold the play-yard, the spring catches at 48 are pressed by the thumbs in order to release one telescopic member 44 from the complementary member 46. When this has been done, the top, rails 24 and 26 are slightly lowered in order to engage the latch at 48 with the upper hole clearly shown in FIG. 3. This position of the parts is clearly illustrated and provides that the support 2b has become considerably shortened. Thereupon the respective top rail is raised to the uppermost position shown in broken lines in FIG. 3 and this action serves the purpose of raising the floor portions 36 or'38 to an inclined relationship whereupon these floor parts are moved inwardly to more or less parallel position in the center of the device as also is clearly shown in FIG. 3. The top rail is'then dropped into their parallel depending position and during this motion, the supports 28 are completely reversed from top to bottom.

The outer edges of the floor parts travel along the arc of the curve as shown at A and the top rail members pivot down along the are 82 from their topmost to their lowermost position. The floor parts themselves are thus pushed inwardly to the substantially vertical parallel positions thereof of FIG. 2 and the upper rails are brought downwardly, completely reversing the positions of the supports 28. The play-yard is now fully folded and may be stored or transported in this condition. The flexible fabric or net walls allow this inter-relation of the parts.

In order to extend the play-yard for use once more, the upper rail members 24 and 26 are first brought inwardly past a horizontal position. This allows the floor parts to then descend about their pivots on the main supporting member 10 to a horizontal position, the legs 54 folding outwardly. At the same time, the telescopic legs are automatically extended by reason of the weight of the floor members and automatically snap into latching position as shown in FIG. 9 when the upper rail members 24 and 2 6 are again brought downwardly from their upwardly inclined position to their horizontal position. In this condition, the play-yard is firmly and rigidly latched and the fabric side wall members are stretched as indicated in order to form a safe continuous flexible wall for the occupant of the play-yard.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not Wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

l. A folding play-yard comprising a flexible wall, a pair of folding floor members, means pivctally mounting the floor members, standards on said means, a top rail member pivoted to said standards, said flexible wall being secured to said top rail member and said floor members, and an extensible supporting member connected between the top rail member and one of the folding floor members, the latter being foldable upwardly to a position adjacent the standards, and the top rail member being foldable downwardly over the folded up floor member.

2. A folding play-yard comprising a flexible wall, a pair of folding floor members, means pivotally mounting the floor members, standards on said means, a top rail member pivoted to said standards, said flexible wall being secured to said rail member, an extensible supporting member connected between the top rail member and one of the folding floor members, the latter being foldable upwardly to a position adjacent the standards, and the top rail member being foldable downwardly over the folded up floor member, said extensible supporting member initiating the folding of the floor members upon relative raising of the top rail members, said supporting member being pivotally mounted with relation to the respective floor member and the top rail.

3. The folding play-yard of claim 2 wherein said sup porting member comprises a pair of telescoping elements, and including means for latching said elements in extended condition of the floor members and the top rail.

4. A folding play-yard comprising a plurality of folding floor members adapted to be placed in extended horizontal condition for use or in generally upright parallel folded condition, a pair of relatively interpivoted folding top rail members adapted when extended to lie in general conformance to the periphery of the floor members, and in a folded condition overlapping the floor members in depending relationship with respect thereto, extensible supporting members intermediate the ends of said top rail members and secured thereto and to the floormembers and holding the top rails extended and supported upon the floor, and an invertible flexible wall connected to the top rail members and the floor members.

5. The folding play-yard of claim 4 wherein said supporting members ,are'telescopic and are completely reversible top to bottom when the floor members are raised to folded condition and the top rail members are folded downwardly to folded condition.

6. The folding play-yard of claim 4 including a frame, folding leg members supporting the floor members in horizontal condition, and means for extending and retracting said leg members as the floor members are lowered and raised respectively, said last-named means including a link connected to each leg intermediate the ends of the leg and at a fixed location on the frame.

7. A folding play-yard comprising a generally central main supporting cross-member, a pair of folding floor members pivoted thereto and capable of being extended to coplanar horizontal extended position, or selectively folded into upright generally parallel condition, an upright standard at each end of said cross-member, a pair of top rail members interpivoted with respect to said standards at points thereon spaced from said floor members, a flexible wall connected between the floor members and the rail members, said top rail members being pivoted to depend down below the upper edges of the floor members when the latter are pivoted upwardly into folded condition thereof so that the top rail members overlap the floor members and the flexible wall is substantially inverted.

8. A folding play-yard comprising a generally central main supponting cross-member, a pair of folding floor members pivoted thereto and capable of being extended to coplanar horizontal extended position, or selectively folded into upright generally parallel condition, an upright standard at each end of said cross-member, a pair of top rail members interpivo ted with respect to said standards at points thereon spaced from said floor members, said top rail members being pivoted to depend down below the upper edges of the floor members when the latter are pivoted upwardly into folded condition thereof, means intermediate the ends of said top rails and connected to said floor members for supporting said top rail members in extended condition thereof, and a fabric side wall detachably connected to the rails and to the floor members, said side wall being substantially inverted in folded condition of the play-yard.

9. A folding play-yard comprising a generally central elongated main supporting cross-member, a floor member hinged thereto at each side thereof, said floor members being adapted for extension into co-planar horizontal relationship forming a floor for the occupant of the play yard, an upright standard at each end of the cross-memher, a pair of top rail members pivoted at their ends to said standards and being shaped in general conformance with said floor members, a post on each floor member supporting the top rail members intermediate the ends thereof, a pivoted leg on each fioor member, a link on each floor member connected to the respective leg and to the cross member causing said leg to be extended into a generally vertical position upon descent of the respective floor member to a horizontal position, and conversely returning the leg to flatwise folded condition at the bottom of the respective floor member when the floor member is raised to folded condition thereof.

10. A folding play-yard comprising a generally central main supporting cross-memlber, a pair of folding floor members pivoted thereto and capable of being extended to co-planar horizontal extended position, or selectively folded into upright generally parallel condition, an upright standard at each end of said cross-member, a pair of top rail members interpivozted with respect to said standards at points thereon spaced from said floor members, said top rail members being pivoted to depend down below the upper edges of the floor members when the latter are pivoted upwardly into folded condition thereof, and a supporting connection from each floor member to a respective rail member, the connection raising the floor member as the rail member is raised to initiate folding of the play-yard.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,158,507 Kolb Nov. 2, 1915 1,528,129 Phillips Mar. 3, 1925 2,790,978 Tigrett May 7, 1957 2,825,072 Landry Mar 4, 1958 2,851,701 Lukala Sept 16, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 19,252 Great Britain Oct. 26, 1892 640,023 France May 19, 1928 768,344 France May '14, 1934 

